The Curse of the Full Moon
by LauraSutcliff
Summary: My name is Eren Jeager, I'm 17 years old and I'm gay. After ending another short, shitty relationship i realised that I was done with dating people from my town, and that's when I tried using Grindr. That's where I met him: Levi Ackerman.
1. Chapter 1

On the 30th of September 2017 I turned 18 years old, which meant one thing: I went to the closest bar with some friends and got smashed. In the past, I had managed to drink alcohol a few times, either by paying older classmates to buy me cheap beer (the fee was a can of cheap beer for them, too) or having champagne on New Year's with my family. But now it was serious: I could walk into a store, show my ID full of pride and buy whatever the hell I wanted; and that's exactly what I did.

The barman seemed amused at my lost expression when he asked what I would like to drink. 'Uh-no idea' I looked at the collection of half-empty bottles behind him. 'Just give me something sweet' I decided to trust his suggestion. After carrying my glass of vivid red drink, Armin's berries cider, and Mikasa's rum and coke, I sat on the uncomfortable chair and raised my glass. 'Here's to being 18, single, and done with High School.'

'No more Mrs Michaelis, thank God.' she said and heavily breathed out.

'It wasn't all bad, don't overreact guys,' Armin said, clicking his glass on ours. 'If you didn't give her a hard time she wouldn't be so strict on you, anyways.'

'How is expressing my mind bad? It's not my fault she is narrow-minded.' The thought of our History teacher wasn't exactly pleasing, so I changed the topic.

'What's even better than not seeing her again, though, is not seeing our pretentious, blood-sucking, sexually confused classmates.' I tapped the table a little harder than necessary. 'No more awkward dates and horny teens. I'm telling you, I will find myself a hot boyfriend at uni in no time,' the alcohol had kicked in, relaxing my body and slowing down my tongue. 'He will know what he wants and how to make me orgasm.' Armin chocked on his drink and Mikasa slapped the back of my head.

'Your mother would be so proud,' she rolled her eyes.

'As if you are not looking forward to meeting someone.'

'You little shit,' she laughed, and raised her half-empty glass again. 'To our new student lives.'

It didn't take more than two more drinks to make me a nagging, loud mess. 'The fuck he thinks he is, anyways? I'm not your toy, you can't test if you are into guys by fucking me,' I said a little too loudly. Mikasa looked around to make sure no one heard me and proceeded to hit me again.

'I think the guy in the back didn't hear you, why don't you yell a little bit more?' She glared. 'I love you Eren, but don't blame anyone for your poor relationship choices.'

'I don't have any options though, do I? It's like, where are all gay people hiding?' I was starting to become quite loud so Armin went to ask for a glass of water.

'Come on, drink. We can't let Grisha see you like that.'

'Why do people always drink water when they don't feel ok? Like, are you crying? Drink some water. Are you drunk? Have some water. Did you break your leg? Here, drink some water.' Still, I drunk all of it.

'Look, I really don't know what to tell you. I'm not the most experienced person when it comes to dating. But if it's so difficult to find someone, why don't you try a dating app?'

And that's when it hit me. To be honest, I thought about it a few times but changed my mind after watching Catfish. However, my drunk self didn't care much about that. 'Armin, that's it.' My confused hands looked for my phone and as soon as I got it out of my pocket, Mikasa held me still.

'This is not a good idea. Armin, you are not helping.' Even when tipsy she didn't lose her protective behaviour. 'What if you start talking to someone and when you meet he is completely different from his pictures? Or if he rapes you? Or steals your kidneys?' She scolded.

'I will make sure to video-chat him first. And if you still don't trust him, you can follow us on our first date, what do you think?' I tried negotiating, and it worked.

' You can be quite an idiot; do you know that?' She shook her head with disapproval. Still, I saw the smile she was trying to hide.

'Why thank you. Now, help me find a dating app.' And that's how I made an account on Grindr, on my eighteenth birthday, in a bar.


	2. Chapter 2

I lost track of the number of nudes I had received in the first three days after creating my account. I looked young, I already knew that. I had been told quite a few times that I looked under 17 years old, and the way I dressed didn't help much. And, apparently, many people liked that, which I realised after receiving numerous messages from guys asking if I could pretend I was their little brother, underage but legal sex buddy, or (this even came with a money offer) their little sugar baby. I tried to decline politely, but some people were seriously getting on my nerves, which could be resolved only in one way: I told them to fuck off.

After deleting the most recent message- something in the lines of 'ur dessert is ready' along with a dick pic- I wondered if that app was any good. I didn't exactly expect to find the love of my life there; what sane person would look for a proper relationship on a dating app, anyway? Then again, that's exactly what I was doing.

I was laying on the bed, chin resting on a white faux fur pillow and legs moving in the air to Marina and the Diamonds, searching for someone decent.

No.

Nope.

Definitely not.

Uh, maybe?

As I was checking the 8475th profile, mentally ticking boxes on my 'Boyfriend Qualifications' list, I realised how stupid I was acting. 'How much more superficial can you get?' I breathed out a small laugh and rolled my eyes before throwing my phone on the rest of the pillows and getting up. I opened the third drawer of my desk, took out the small holographic bag, and rested it on my desk, next to a small mirror.

Seven songs later, my room had become a black hole of clothes and make up products. Somewhere under three shirts and a jacket, my phone was buzzing but it was too loud for me to notice. After climbing on the pile of clothes to find said jacket, I noticed the vibration.

 _Armin_

'Hey, what's up?'

'Is your phone on silent again?' He asked.

'I'm good, too, thank you.' I said, knowing he was going to keep complaining. 'I am ready. What about you?'

'So am I. Actually, I have been waiting outside your house for... 7 minutes.' I jumped to my window and saw that a not so happy Armin was waiting outside. 'You promised you would be ready on time, last time you made me wait, too. It's just Jean's part, why are you taking so-'

Not wanting to hear an entire speech about how I am always late, I ended our conversation with a 'I will be downstairs in 3 minutes' and hung up before he had the chance to reply. I run around my room a bit more, grabbed my backpack and put on my shoes.

Armin was not very pleased, but he got over it quickly. 'You are lucky it was me waiting and not Mikasa,' he said while zipping up his jacket. It was getting chilly, so I wondered if I should have worn something else. Then, I looked down at my outfit and smirked. Nah, it was worth it.

'She can yell at me next time we go out.'

'So, you plan on being late again.' I knew he was actually pissed off, but I couldn't take his glare seriously; he was adorable.

'At this point I'm just embracing this part of myself.' I shrugged. While he kept complaining, I took out my phone to quickly check the time. And, there, under the flashing digits, I saw the notification.

'Some guy messaged me,' I said with almost no excitement in my voice. To be honest, I was expecting some creep to have messaged me.

'Is he asking for nudes?' Armin stretched to look at my screen.

'No, just said hello.' I said. 'He doesn't look half bad.' I smirked again. Almost all of the boxes on my list were marked. I started taping on the wide screen, a knot growing in my stomach. Maybe it was stupid and risky, but what the hell? A message couldn't hurt.

' _Hey :)_ ' I texted back.


	3. Chapter 3

It's probably clear enough at this point, but I didn't make the best decisions under the influence of alcohol. Did that stop me from drinking? Of course not. I simply reflected on my actions and facepalmed the next day. That's pretty much what happened after Jean's party.

Have you ever fallen asleep in a place other than your bed, then woke up feeling disoriented, like you're upside down or lost? That's how I felt when I opened my eyes and saw a large window, pastel blue curtains and the blinding morning sun. _That's not my window. Where is my window?_ My eyes shot open in a short state of panic until I realized that I was in Armin's room. I looked around and saw him sleeping on the floor on a bed of pillows and blankets.

'Armin,' I whispered. 'Pst, Armin,' I said louder but he still didn't move, so I pushed his shoulder lightly.

'Mhm.'

'Wake up,' I said and pushed him more. 'Why are you on the floor?' I furrowed my eyebrows.

'Cause you pushed me off the bed,' he said and turned his back.

'Shit, really? My bad,' I said. 'What happened, anyways?' He turned his head and glared at me.

'You're a handful. I'm not going to a party with you again,' he yawned and laid down again. 'Mikasa can drag you next time.'

That's when I really woke up. 'What? Did I do anything?' I asked.

'You don't remember?' He sighed. 'Of course, you don't. Check your phone, I'm sure you took a thousand photos.' I tapped the bedsheets around me, then jumped out of the bed and searched the pockets of my clothes left on the chair. At last, I found it. 'You might want to check the messages you sent to that guy, too. Levi, was it?'

It was completely embarrassing.

First, I checked the messages. There weren't too many, but the ones I sent quickly turned from coherent, well thought sentences to messy blubbering.

 _'_ _So whenam I gonna see you'_ was what struck me the most. I asked him to meet up. Fuck.

 _'_ _Straightforward, I see. How about we talk about this after you sober up a bit?'_ he said. _Thank God_. Surprisingly, he didn't take this opportunity to rape me and steal my kidneys. Joke's on you, Mikasa.

 _'_ _im sober what yu talking about'_ my drunk ass replied.

 _'_ _Course you are. Get home safe, Eren._ ' The was the last message. I tossed the phone on the mess of bedsheets and rubbed my temples.

'That's why you need to stick to juice from now on,' Armin said, to which I replied by throwing a pillow at him. His blond hair became even messier. 'Show me the photos.'

'Fuck, I forgot about those.' I grabbed my phone once again and jumped next to him. He was right, there were a bunch of photos. I scrolled through the first ones, which were mostly selfies of my friends and I. Gradually they became messier, and some of them were nothing more than a random leg or the ceiling. Blurred faces, plastic cups, Jean's horse face, people playing Guitar Hero. I remembered taking some of these photos, but the last ones were mostly taken by accident.

'Ugh, sorry Armin. I'll make it up to you.'

'You should.' He glared but his expression quickly softened. 'Let's make some breakfast. And go brush your teeth please, you smell like a 40-year-old alcoholic.'

I didn't forget about my latest conversation with Levi; I simply had no idea how to reply. I made myself look like a stupid teenager in front of an older, attractive guy that showed some interest in me. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he had blocked my profile. Still, it wouldn't hurt trying to apologise. I stared at my phone while swirling in the high chairs of the kitchen. How was I supposed to start this conversation? I asked Armin for advice, but he reminded me that he was probably the last person I should ask for love solutions.

'You're not a very helpful friend.' I sighed.

'I put you to sleep and make you food. Can't get more helpful than that.' He said and put a plate of scrambled eggs in front of me. 'Oh, let's not forget all those times I helped you with science projects.' he said.

'Yes, yes. Whatever would I do without you?' I rolled my eyes. 'Crap, I should call my mom.'

'She called lasted night, actually. I told her you were sleeping over.' He said. I let out a long sigh of relief.

'What about your grandpa? He wont mind I'm here, right?'

'Luckily he was sleeping when we came home.' He said. 'He should be back soon, though, so behave.' He chuckled.

By the time I ate half of my food it was cold already. I spent more time moving bits of scrambled eggs around the plate and thinking about those messages than actually eating. Armin asked if I was ok, to which I replied with a 'Huh? Yeah, I'm good'. I didn't convince him, of course. He probably felt bad that he didn't help me out of my sulking state like he always does, because eventually he tried giving me some sort of advice. 'You don't need to think about it too much. Just say that you're sorry about yesterday and change the topic. Ask him how he is or something like that.' He said. 'And even if he's angry, who cares? He is just some random person. It's his loss.' It was one of those moments I was grateful Armin was my friend. I smiled, and my cocky self was back.

'Exactly. Who cares? I don't even know if he really is the person in his pictures. Maybe it's a lonely old man.' I said and unlocked my phone.

 _'_ _Hey, I'm home, alive and in one piece. Sorry about yesterday ^-^ got a bit side-tracked'_

I rested my phone on the counter, thinking he wouldn't reply for a few hours. But less than five minutes later, it buzzed.

'That's ok. Just take care of yourself. How are you? Hangover?' the text read. I pulled the device closer to my face, as if I misread the first time. But no, it didn't change. I tapped on the letters, the vibration non-stopping, and hit the 'send button'.

'I'm not too bad. Just had breakfast. Wbu?'

'I'm working at the studio with some friends. We are getting ready for a photoshoot.'

'Sounds like fun?'

'You said you live in Lewisham, right? The studio is not too far. Would you like to meet up after I'm done? Since you asked yesterday when we are meeting.'

I must have made a pretty shocked faced because Armin asked me what was wrong. 'We are meeting today, I think.'

'Already?' he said. 'Are you sure you want to do this, Eren?'

' Of course, I'm a little worried, but I got this far.' I shrugged.

'I don't know Eren…' He was barely audible.

'Okay, what about this? You can come keep an eye on me. From a distance, though; I don't want to scare him away.' I said.

'The things I do for you.' He shook his head with closed eyes. 'I'll get my black clothes.' He said after standing up and walking towards his bedroom. Despite the worrying, I could hear the smile in his voice.

I told Levi I would be waiting outside our local college, since I didn't want him to know my address. I suggested a tapas bar in my area; Armin wouldn't be able to follow us further than that.

Five hours and forty minutes later, a deep red Ford stopped a couple of meters on my right. The sunlight reflected on the windscreen, but I could see his dark hair and cream skin. My phone buzzed.

 _'_ _I'm here. I think I can see you.'_

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and straightened my back. I messaged Armin and headed to the car.

 _'_ _He is here.'_


	4. Chapter 4

The first few minutes were extremely uncomfortable, to say the least. For starters, how do you greet someone you've only talked to a little bit online, especially when there's some kind of sexual/romantic tension going on? Do people hug when they first meet? Kiss? Casually greet each other? This was completely new compared to high school relationships, and I was worried he noticed straight away.

Before the wave of awkwardness hit, though, I felt relieved; he was exactly like his pictures, if not better. His eyes were like onyx tumbled stones, half covered by straight hair. I couldn't see much of his body since it was covered by jeans and a bomber jacket, but his posture was straight and strong. He flashed a 'you're making it too obvious' smile and greeted me. Long story short, he was my new eye candy.

'Hello.' I half said, half sighed.

'Shall we go?' he said.

'Sure.' I nodded. The moment he started the car, I felt the need to talk to him. Sure, I was brave enough to talk shit on Grindr because, hey, aren't we all brave when the other person can't see us? But now he was there, a few inches to my side. I looked towards him moving my head as little as possible, half opening my mouth a few times with only dry air coming out. Then I gave up and looked outside the window- a poor attempt to cover myself from him- and hoped that we would get there soon. Levi, on the other hand, made conversation like he was serving a customer. It seemed too easy; practised, almost.

He first asked how my day was, and if I was feeling sick from yesterday. I didn't want to talk about it, so I waved my hand as if it was nothing. 'Armin made me some food so I'm back to full health.'

'Armin?' he turned his gaze briefly towards me and then back to the road.

'Just a friend.' I said, fighting back a smirk. He then asked me why I made a profile on Grindr. 'Uh, isn't it obvious?' I chuckled.

'I guess.' He smiled.

'What's your reason then?' I asked with an arched brow.

'My friends are convinced I'm not interested in people, so I'm proving them wrong.' He said.

'So, I'm a bet?' Maybe I shouldn't have met him.

'I didn't just pick a random person; they had to attract me, of course.' He said, probably trying to make it up to me.

'You're not fooling anyone.'

'Don't be a brat.' He sighed but then gave me a crooked smile. In that moment, I didn't mind being just a bet. Getting close to someone like that wouldn't happen by mere mutual interest, after all.

After our short conversation, we reached the bar. I took off the seatbelt, grabbed my backpack and stepped out. I had never been there before, but the 'Happy Hour: 2 cocktails for 1' poster, Spanish music and warm lights looked promising. Levi locked the car and walked next to me.

'Shall we?' he asked, and I almost snorted at his excessive politeness.

'Let's go.' I chuckled while pulling him by the arm towards the entrance.

The place was quiet, and thankfully no one I knew was there. The last thing I wanted was to smile and say how much I missed them and that we should catch up even though, of course, we wouldn't. A woman greeted us, asked if we wanted a table for two, and guided us to a small wooden table on one side of the room. We thanked her and sat down before checking the menu.

'I think I'll go for the pork chops with sweet potato wedges.' I said not long after. 'Oh, and a Margarita.'

He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. 'Are you even 18?'

'Of course.' I frowned. 'Didn't you check my info on Grindr?'

'I thought you might be exaggerating.' He shrugged. 'You do look quite young.'

'So do you.' I crossed my arms and rested on the back of the chair.

'I'm 23.' He said and also rested back.

'Paedophile.' I said under my breath and looked to the side.

'No one forced you to come here, brat.' He said and raised his hand, indicating to the waitress that we were ready to order. Sometimes he acted like a middle-aged aristocrat, and others like he was about to put me on the table and smack the shit out of me. It was a confusing, but definitely an exciting mix.

Levi ordered something that I had never heard of, and a glass of sangria. The same woman was back with the drinks first.

'Aren't you driving?' I took a sip from my drink, the salt creeping in every corner of my mouth, and leaned closer to him.

'It is only a glass; I'm not a kid.' He said and flashed that crooked smile again.

'Are you calling me a kid, you old man?' I rested the glass on the table and rested my chin on my fist.

'You are jumping to conclusions easily.' He fixed his relaxed posture, making me feel 3 feet tall. His presence was… overpowering.

'If you say so.' I rolled my eyes to forget about the chills that run down my spine. I was so preoccupied with him that I forgot one detail; Armin was supposed to be here soon. I only remembered when I heard my phone buzzing in the backpack. 'Just a second.' I said and searched for the device. I had three messages.

 _'_ _Did you arrive yet?'_

 _'_ _I'm outside.'_

 _'_ _I'm going inside.'_

My eyes widened and scanned the room. At first, I didn't noticed because his clothes blended with the background, but then I saw his blond hair poking out of his hood. He nodded, and I gulped. At that moment I started feeling like I was in a mission, rather than a date. Levi seemed to notice the change in my mood- who wouldn't?- and shot a quick look over his shoulder. He didn't mention anything.

In the next minutes a relaxed a little, but I couldn't stop myself from glancing at Armin every now and then whose gaze was fixed on Levi. I wasn't sure what he was thinking, but it was obvious he had some suspicions. Still, I tried to enjoy my evening with him and block out the voice that told me to be careful.

After I was done eating and my cocktail was almost done, I melted in my seat. I felt warm, relaxed and quite daring. I laughed often, exposing my neck and collarbone as I rested my head on the back of the seat. He was telling me about that day's photoshoot and how one of his friends, Hanji I think, tripped on a cord and dropped a few glasses she was carrying. Thankfully, no water was spilled on the equipment. He rubbed his temples while reliving the memory and I pushed his arm slightly.

'Don't be such a grump, everything turned out fine, right?' I said and wiped a tear.

'We still had to clean up all the shattered glass.' He sighed.

'At least they were empty.' I reminded him.

'I suppose.' He said and finally chuckled, too.

We stayed there for a good couple of hours, but eventually he had to drop me home. He didn't let me pay (I wasn't surprised), so I put on my jacket and backpack. While he was paying, I glanced at Armin and nodded, letting him know that I was ok and would soon be home. Then, we walked towards the exit, said our goodbyes to the host, and reached the car. The whole time he guided me with his hand resting on my lower back, and I couldn't get that smug expression off my face.

It was already dark. The ride back home was easier, but short. Still, I would probably see him again soon. When we reached our destination, I hesitated in unbuckling my seatbelt.

'So… Are we meeting again?' I asked, trying not to seem too interesting but failing.

'That's the plan.' He said.

'You have my number, so you can call when you are not busy.' I looked straight, trying to distract myself.

'Sure.' He said in a light tone. 'Now, go home. I'll see you around.'

I smiled at him, and he did the same. I opened the door, stepped outside, and looked back at him to say one last goodbye, but he seemed gone. His car was there, his body was there, but his eyes were fixed on his windshield, or something outside of it. I looked towards the same direction, but only saw a few cars, a park and the bright moon.

Then, he left.


	5. Chapter 5

'I told you everything would turn out fine.' I told Armin who was resting on the floor, sorting out what books he wanted to give away.

' You don't know that yet. And, honestly, something about him seemed...' he held one book in the air, his eyes wandering between the two piles. 'Off.' He said and put the book on the left pile.

'Off? What exactly?' I laid on the bed and rested my chin on a pillow. 'He just looked hot to me.'

'That's because you are superficial.' He sighed. 'I wasn't even close to you guys, but he looked like he was going to put you on his shoulder and run away.' He furrowed his eyebrows.

'That doesn't sound bad to me.' I rolled on my back.

'I meant like some dead pig that he will eat later.'

'Oh.' I said and rolled again to look at him. 'Aren't you exaggerating, Armin?'. Just then, there was a knock on the door before Mikasa stepped in. 'Ah, look who's back.' I beamed at my step-sister.

'Mikasa, please help me get Eren out of his delusions.' Armin sighed but also smiled at her.

'I feel like I missed something.' She said and sat on Armin's chair. 'What did you do?' she looked at me.

'Nothing illegal.' I said, causing her to arch an eyebrow. 'Okay, okay. I met up with someone.' her eyes widened in response.

'Why am I just finding out about this?' she crossed her tan arms. I thought about how she could easily beat me up if she wasn't happy about my 'relationship' with Levi. I wanted to change the subject, but of course Armin wouldn't let me get away this easily.

'I told you I was chatting with someone.'

'Not that you met them, though.' she stared.

'Same thing.' I waved my hand.

'Armin. Explain, please.' She turned her glare at him, who had given up on sorting out the books.

'Don't blame me, you know he is stubborn and would meet him anyways.' His pale cheeks were getting a rosy colour. 'At least I went there and made sure he was ok.'

'You went there?' she furrowed her eyebrows.

'Like a spy.' He said and we both laughed.

'This is not funny.' She raised her voice.

'Relax, mom. Levi is nice. He bought me dinner and drove me home. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.' I tried to reassure her. For a minute, I reassured myself as well, until I remembered his expression before he left. As much as I wanted to ignore it, Armin was right, as usual. Something seemed off. I wasn't sure what, nor if I wanted to know what that something was. I pushed the though at the far back of my head and focused on what I knew and liked about him. He was a young, French photographer. He was attractive, well mannered, with a good sense of humour. Did I have any proof for that? Only his word and my eyes. Sure, that ought to be enough.

'Don't get into trouble, Eren. This is all I'm asking.' She said, her eyebrows finally softening.

'If I do, you guys will rescue me, so it's ok.' I smiled.

The tension in the room was finally wearing off. Mikasa told us about the trip with her kick boxing class and how the finals went. Of course, she won a couple of medals, but she didn't make it out of there with some bruises, too. I was poking one on her thigh, and the moment she was about to smack my head, we heard a noise from outside. We all froze and looked at each other.

'Did you hear that?' Armin said, almost in a whisper.

'It sounds like somebody is dying.' I said, and the noise was heard again, creeping through the crack of the window.

'I will check.' Mikasa said and slowly walked to the window. She scanned the scene, and finally breathed out. 'It's just some foxes. It's mating season, right?'

'Gosh, right.' I laughed. 'We got scared because some foxes were moaning.' The others were half laughing-half sighing when the noise got louder. Much louder. Arming and I looked at each other, our smiles stuck in time, and headed to the window.

There were three foxes. Two were on the left, walking backwards, hiding from something. And there, on the right, there was another fox. Only this one seemed… unnatural. It wasn't small with a red-orange fur. This one had large dark spots, almost onyx. Its body was quite muscular, making the other foxes look like puppies. It took slow, steady steps, and a low, growl was audible even in the house. It was the first time I heard a fox making a sound like that.

And then I realised it; was I about to witness a fight between foxes? The third one would surely rip the others to bits. The last thing I wanted was to see a bloodbath between animals.

'This can't be good.' Armin said, thinking the same thing as me. The dark fox was too close now. In any second, it would attack the other ones who were whimpering and stumbling against parked cars.

'What the hell is wrong with that one? It looks like some kind of mutant.' I said.

'I don't know. But I'm not going to watch this.' She said and opened the window. 'Sorry Armin.' She said and rushed to the pile of books, grabbing a few. In an instant, she aimed at the dark fox and started throwing books.

'Mikasa!' he said, in a 'what the fuck are you doing to my precious books' tone. The first book fell far from it, but the second hit it on the back. It made a pained noise and glared at us. For a second I feared it would jump right in the room. I held Mikasa by the arm and she stopped.

The fox walked closer to the house, growling again, and got ready to jump. Then, it stopped. Just like that. Its body relaxed slightly, and it looked at us for a few seconds longer. It looked back at the other foxes, and then at the sky. It turned towards the path it came from, gave us one last look, and run.


	6. Chapter 6

Fifteen minutes later, we were still trying to comprehend what had just happened.

'It must have been a wolf.' I said. 'Foxes aren't supposed to be so...'

'Big? Muscly? Ready to jump on the second floor of a house and eat you?' Armin said, his breath still irregular.

'Pretty much.' I nodded. 'Mikasa on the other hand was about to kick the shit out of it'

'She can be scarier than any wolf or fox.' He chuckled. 'I want my books back though.'

'I'm sorry about that, Armin. I'll get them before we go home.'

I went back to the bed and looked for my phone. For some reason, and I wasn't sure what that reason was, I needed to tell Levi what had just happened.  
I grabbed the device, looked for his number and typed a 'something really creepy just happened' message. I waited a few long seconds, but there was no reply. I looked at Armin and Mikasa who were still looking outside the window, and left my phone on the bed. I couldn't let him distract me so much. He would reply whenever he had the time.

The conversation changed soon after, and the fox incident was forgotten, at least temporarily.

It wasn't until two days later that he replied. He was busy, apparently, but i didn't get the details. I guess it had to do with some kind of photoshoot or editing. By then, however, i didn't have the same urge to tell him what had happened. It might have been because of his sudden withdrawn attitude or an underlying feeling of danger... my gut feeling. Either way, I didn't bring it up. Things would go back to normal, right?

Well, they didn't. As much as I tried being my usual carefree self, Levi wouldn't let me. He was acting as if he wanted to stop talking to me, but was too nice to tell me directly. One moment he replied as usual, and the next as if i was a burden. My initial reaction was to block his number and profile and have nothing more to do with him, but i was too stubborn to actually do it. Why was he acting like that? I needed to know, but it didnt look like he would tell me that easily; well, at least not over a text message.

'When am I seeing you next?' I asked after a short conversation.

'I'm not sure. I started a new project so I will have to focus on that.' He replied.

'How about I come to your studio then?:)' I pressed. He didn't reply for a few minutes.

'Sure. I guess that's ok. But not for too long. You understand, right?'

'Yes, yes busy bee. Pick me up from the same place?'

'Today?'

'Yup. Unless you can't .'

'No, it's alright. I will see you at 5 then.'

I wave of accomplishment hit me after our conversation. Sure, I was a bit pushy, but i didn't care much. I wasn't going to simply forget about it. If he changed his mind about me overnight, I wanted to at least know the reason.

There was the Mikasa issue, of course. Her overprotective attitude almost got in the way of my plans, but my complaining and reassuring eventually convinced her to let me go.

'I expect a text before, after and during that... date.' she said, her eyes as lifeless as ever.

'Yes sir.' I said before running upstairs to my bedroom. I still had two hours, but I couldn't stay still.

While getting ready, this growing, exciting feeling got the best of me; despite not knowing what was wrong with Levi, I was determined to find out and get him back to his seductive, playful self. I had finally found a more than decent guy I was interested in and seemed to feel the same; I couldn't let all this time and effort go to waste. Yes, it was only one date and a few messages, but it was still time and effort. Thus, I got dressed nicely, but not too nicely since I didn't want to look desperate, and laid on the bed with my phone, using it as a distraction until I received the 'I'm on my way' message.


	7. Chapter 7

I walked in small circles as I waited for Levi. One hand held the phone, waiting for a vibration, while the other rested on the strap of my backpack. I glanced at the screen.

4:53

I took a few more steps, turned on my heel and began my short walk again.

4:58

A car pulled over my side and my eyes automatically shot towards the source of the noise. It wasn't him.

5:03

Maybe he won't show up after all, I thought. I closed my eyes and kept walking. He was only a few minutes late; it's the rush hour after all. Don't think about it so much, I argued with myself.

A few more cars passed by making my eyes and chest raise then fall back at the same speed. They soon became background noise and I only focused on my shoes. Seven steps, stop, turn, repeat. I was debating whether I should head back home or keep walking around when I heard a loud noise that pulled me out of my thoughts. I jumped slightly and felt as if my brain started functioning again.

My eyes shot on my left side where they met Levi's car. A wave of relief and surprise, even, hit me. His window was winded down, allowing me to take a clear look at him: the day was awfully hot, and I could almost feel my palms burning when I saw his gripping the black leather steering wheel. He somehow looked more muscular than last time, even though I hadn't seen him in only a few days. I followed the muscles all the way up to his shoulders, then neck, and finally face. His skin seemed darker, too, as if covered with shadows. The most intense ones were under his eyes, his jawline and his lips, making them look too long- ripped, almost.

'Are you coming?' he asked, his tone hinting impatience. I nodded and rushed to the passenger door.

'How have you been?' I asked after fastening my seatbelt.

'Not too bad.' he said, focusing on the road. The ride lasted a few but long minutes. The silence was thick, and my will to break down whatever walls were between us had almost disappeared. My legs had shifted towards the door unconsciously, wanting to open the door and run away. I shifted them back in the middle, wanting to look unimpressed by his attitude, by soon gave up and resumed my previous position. I glanced a couple of times towards him, the shadows as vivid as ever, and then crossed my arms. At last, we arrived at the studio.

I followed him, almost tiptoeing, into the building. It didn't look like a studio from the outside; the only thing giving it away was a small, black and white 'Glasshouse Photography' sign on the fence. Levi tapped what seemed like a magnet on the lock and the door opened with a low 'click'. I went inside, feeling like an intruder, and saw two people already sitting there.

The first was a giant-like man with neatly styled hair. He gave me a quick look, greeted me in a professional way, and focused back on his laptop. The other one seemed livelier; she run towards us, held both of my hands and spoke with a large grin.

'Eren, is it? Ah, lovely to meet you.' She beamed.

'Uh, hi. Yeah, I'm Eren. And you are?' I tried to smile back but felt a bit overwhelmed.

'I'm Hanji. Hanji Zoe.' She said, still holding my hands. I looked at Levi, hoping he would understand my 'please get her off me' expression, and thankfully he did. It's not that I minded Hanji; she seemed cool. A bit weird but cool, as long as she didn't jump on me like that every time.

'Is everything ready for today's customer? He should be here soon.' Levi said. He walked towards a table with files on different piles, pulling Hanji by her jacket.

'Yes, captain.' She said, tapping a yellow folder.

'You didn't forget to add the CD this time, did you?' He asked in a threatening tone.

'Course not.' She waved her hand. At that moment the bell rang, and Hanji's expression temporarily hardened. 'Oh, that must be him.' She clapped her hands once and jogged towards the entrance.

I stayed in one corner of a room, feeling even more like an outsider. My skinny stature, casual feminine clothes and childish face were the exact opposite of them. I watched them talk about God knows what, trying to distract myself by the fancy equipment. I approached one of the open doors and peeked inside while they discussed with the customer and whispered a barely audible 'wow'.

I hadn't been to a photoshoot before, so the white background, tall camera stands, and different lights were familiar to me only from the TV. Now, I was actually standing there, feeling totally exposed. What surprised me the most, though, was that…I liked it. I looked back at Levi and thought that this is his workplace. This is were people pose for the camera, for him, and he captures everything. I imagined myself laying there while he stood on top of me, trapping me. Would I be dressed, or completely naked for him? Even if I hid myself under clothes later, those photos would serve as proof that I put on a show for a mere stranger. My body felt hot and light, and I glanced back quickly to make sure nobody saw me getting lost in these thoughts. I shook my head and walked back, my mind still lingering in the white room.

'So, what's next?' I said as soon as I was standing next to Levi. He looked at his watch.

'There's one last appointment. We'll do that, and I suppose we are done for the day.' He said. 'You can sit there,' he pointed at the black leather couch ' and Hanji will fix you a drink. Non-alcoholic.' He said and finally showed some kind of playfulness.

'I'll have it double, thank you very much. But I'd rather watch, if that's ok.' I said, asking for permission. He raised an eyebrow in response.

'We don't normally do that.' Erwin said. 'Customers need to feel comfortable; the more people in the room, the worse.' I felt my cheeks heating up. Couldn't I just sit on the damned couch?

'Mhm.' Levi agreed. 'We could say that you are in training and ask if they are ok with you watching.'

'It's ok, I don't want to disturb you guys.' I scratched the back of my head. Thankfully, the bell rang again, getting me out of the conversation.

'Hanji, open the door.' He said and turned to walk towards the white room.

'It's your turn, grumpy pants.' She said and pulled him by the back of his T-shirt. When the fabric slid down and exposed his skin, my eyes widened. My chest felt tight, and my brain sped to a hundred miles an hour.

Right next to his spine there was a bruise; large, fresh and purple. It brought back memories of that night, when I stood frozen behind the window waiting to be attacked and devoured. I watched him walk away and felt almost as if I was watching the fox. I took in a heavy breath and stepped back.

Sure, it might have been a coincidence, right?

…Right?


	8. Chapter 8

The thought that Levi might have some kind of connection with the creature from that night made me feel idiotic, to say the least. If I assumed that a person could transform into an animal or vice versa, then it meant that I believed in the impossible; it meant that I would go against the rules of nature which governed my life up until that moment. It also meant that I would go against everyone else around me, which I knew I would regret sooner or later.

Yet despite having proof that verified my suspicions, my voice of reason laughed. No matter how intriguing it seemed, I knew this wasn't Twilight, and werewolves were nothing more than a teenage fantasy. What else could I do to find out the truth, though? Asking Armin or Mikasa was out of the question; it was embarrassing enough to even think about the possibility of a werefox(or whatever that was), let alone talk about it. Therefore, I had only one option. While I was waiting for Levi to finish work, I read pages upon pages about the mythology surrounding werewolves. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but it was worth a try. The seriousness of the tutorials on how to transform into a werewolf or how to kill one made me cringe, but it was better than nothing. I imagined having to kill Levi with a silver bullet, only to be brought back to reality when I looked around and got my shit together. I made sure to change the website whenever somebody approached me; getting humiliated right now was out of the question.

If my suspicions were correct, Levi would never tell me the truth directly. Who would, anyway? For all I knew, I was his prey. Maybe he used dating sites as a means of attracting people unaware of his nature. If so, I was just another victim who fell right into the trap; another man, another meal, another idiot.

Before I made too many assumptions, though, I needed to verify this theory. And since he wouldn't be honest with me right away, I needed to think of a few plans in case I didn't achieve my goal that easily. So there I was, hiding on the couch and smiling like a spy who is plotting his enemy's exposure. I imagined how his face would finally lose its composure and cool attitude; perhaps he would get emotional as he explained his dark past. Was he born like this? Or was he cursed? The possibilities were equally exciting, and I could barely contain my smile as I fantasized about the future.

"I recognize this expression. It's the face of mischievousness." A voice said next to me. My heart jumped in my chest in a sheer moment of panic; it was Hanji. "What are you plotting?"

"Oh, uh-hi. You scared me." I chuckled and put my hand on my chest. "Plotting? Just my next date with Levi."

"Do you have anything particular in mind?" She asked and adjusted her glasses. It was obvious enough that she was curious, so I thought I'd used that to my advantage. If anyone knew whether Levi had any major secrets or not, Hanji was a pretty good guess. She creeped me out a little, but Levi seemed to tolerate her attitude so the least I could do was give our 'relationship' some time to develop. But in the meantime, I wanted to see how far I could push her until she stopped giving me information about him.

"That's the problem." I shifted my legs on the side to face her more comfortably. "Last time we went to a bar and it was nice and everything, but I want us to do something different this time. Something more..." during this pause her smile widened, "private."

"I see, I see. Dear Eren, I'll be honest." Her smile was now replaced by a straight line. Her aura changed instantly, and I wasn't sure if I should be worried or if she was simply being dramatic." Levi is a tough case but he has his moments. Well, not that I've witnessed them, but I am guessing he has a soft side." I was starting to lose hopes; perhaps Hanji was not the best choice after all, but I didn't have any other choice. Erwin was barely an option; he seemed to hate my guts and the last thing I needed was- "Levi has always been like this. Well, at least as long as I've known him. At first, I thought his attitude was due to puberty, but he's still a grump."

"He texted me first, though." As I finished this sentence, I realized that Levi might not have told them how exactly we met. I felt my face warming up and thought of any excuse possible.

"I know. I convinced him to text you." My jaw dropped and my face maintained its ruby color. I was hoping she would burst out laughing and say 'just kidding' but she didn't. Well, she did laugh but I'm guessing it was because of my expression.

"Come again?"

"I'm the culprit." she raised her hands and kept laughing.

"Hanji, this isn't funny," I complained. "How did it happen?"

She cleared her throat and fixed her glasses. "It was about two weeks ago. We had just finished the photo album from a wedding so we decided to celebrate at Erwin's house; we do that after every project. You know, a couple of drinks, and Historia usually brings some food." Her tone so far was relaxed, but of course it changed instantly again. Her wicked smile returned as she continued, "we started talking about past relationships and we realised that Levi had not been with anyone in almost a year. So, like the good friend that I am, I suggested that he finds a... friend." she whispered and looked towards the studio entrance, making sure Levi wasn't paying attention. I looked back as well before speaking.

"And he just went along with it? 'Sure Hanji, find me a boyfriend'?" I said, growing more irritated.

"Of course not. He said he's had enough one night stands and whatnot." She rolled her eyes. "He's quite picky, you know."

Although I was still annoyed, a tiny smile still found its way on my lips. "And then? How did you convince him if he was against it?" I said, returning to my serious state.

"We made a bet." She crossed her arms.

"A bet?"

"A bet." She nodded. I then remembered Armin's words, about me being a piece of meat or something like that. He seemed to have been right again. I looked around again to make sure nobody heard us; my jaw tightened as I saw Erwin sitting at his desk. He wasn't paying attention to us, but he must have heard at least parts of our conversation. "Erwin wasn't really part of this. He was more of an observer." At the mention of his name, he looked at Hanji and returned his gaze to the laptop screen with a shake of his head and a smile. "Long story short, we played a round of UNO. Poker would have been cooler, but we left the deck at my house."

"So I'm merely an UNO prize." I frowned and considered leaving.

"Levi is competitive; this was the easiest way to get him out of his shell. Anyways, he lost the first round but there was still another issue: where would he look for said companion? That's when dear Erwin helped us decide by suggesting another round of UNO. If Levi lost, I would pick a place. If I lost, we could cancel the whole thing. Of course, I won, and since I had this marvellous opportunity, I decided to pick one of the most entertaining options. Well, entertaining for me, at least."

"Have you not considered how offensive this is for me?" I said.

"Eren, it was just a game. If he really didn't like you, he wouldn't have texted in the first place." Her laughed had faded into a smile now, and as she held my arm I thought that maybe I was exaggerating a little bit. Still, there was the issue of him ignoring me the past few days, and I couldn't help but be honest to Hanji after she shared all these things with me.

"I don't know about that anymore. He has been kind of distant lately. I mean, we just went on a date so it's nothing serious, but I still expected for something I suppose." She gave me a sympathetic look and opened her mouth to say something. But as she did so, the client came out of the studio.

"We can have the pictures ready for you in about 15 minutes. Would you like to wait here?"

"Sure, I'm free after this anyways." She said and talked with Erwin about the payment.

"Stay still." I heard Hanji speak to me, and as I turned my head towards her, she shoved a finger in my mouth until she reached my throat. I gagged but thankfully didn't vomit. I couched and wiped my mouth with the back of my sleeve, not knowing what the hell had just happened. "Levi! Come, Eren is feeling nauseous." She said and I heard his footsteps approach us.

"What happened?" He asked her. I didn't look at him because, well, I almost threw up and probably had spit dripping on my clothes, so I kept my head down while Hanji said something about me suddenly feeling ill and that he should take me home.

"Where do you live, Eren?"

"Take him to your house, it's around the corner." She said, sounding annoyed. "What are you going to tell his parents, anyways? Do they know you?" I didn't hear him say anything, but it felt like they had some kind of silent agreement. I wanted to say that I was fine and that I should go home, but... I had a marvellous opportunity, just as Hanji said. I kept being quiet and let Levi carry my backpack and lead me outside. I didn't want to look at any of them, so I kept looking at my feet with my hands hidden in my pockets where the stains wouldn't be visible. Then, I walked as he guided me with his hand on my lower back.

Author's note:

Just a quick note, I'm sorry about the first upload of this chapter. I copy pasted it from wattpad but didn't realise that the format would be all weird. But here it is! There was a long gap between updates because I had no idea how to continue this story, but I promise there'll be more frequent updates. Thank you for still being here x


	9. Chapter 9

Uncomfortable. Uncomfortable, but not just that. As we walked towards his place, him leading the way and me following with small yet quick steps, I tried to ignore my lower half. It was instinctual, you know how it works, but the last thing I wanted was to have a boner in a quiet and private space where everything was a lot louder and more vivid. So I tightened my jaw and shook my head a couple of times as if that would help me snap out of it. And it did, at least for a few seconds. Then my eyes got glued on his back and shoulders and all my efforts went down the drain. What ultimately pulled me out of my daydreams was a pause outside an apartment building.

It was his house, _Levi's_ house. And there I was, along with a man I had only seen twice (and 64 times online), about to enter a room where things could happen. I could lie down on the couch, or the bed, or the floor as long as it had a rug on it. _Yes, I feel better, thank you. It was probably something I ate at lunch; I promise, it was nothing serious. Can I just have a glass of water, please?_ In the meantime, I would check how my breath smells in case gagging actually made your mouth stink of vomit, and if everything progressed smoothly we would soon be only inches away. He would look at me and perhaps I could impress him a little; As Hanji said, he chose to speak to me, so I didn't have to feel inferior every time we met.

The intimidating excitement of being outside his door for the first time made my lower half calm down. It also made my hands sweaty and stomach ill, but it was better than a boner. If Levi saw it, I was sure he would make some kind of remark. He wouldn't lose such an opportunity.

So I went inside after him, feeling like an intruder. He never invited me in the first place, after all. The only reason I was there was because of Hanji's mischevious plan. It benefitted me, so I shouldn't have been complaining at all, but I couldn't just forget the fact that she almost made me vomit on her. It made me feel grateful, but also more aware of her lack of limits; whether her motives were kindness towards a stranger or just her own amusement was not so clear anymore.

"Water?" he asked. We were now inside the apartment and I looked around to find where I could sit. My guts were gone as soon as we stepped in and what was left was a kid too embarrassed to sit near his crush.

"Yes, sure," I said. He disappeared into another room, and in the meantime, I visually examined the living area. The apartment was as organized as I expected it to be, with symmetry and cool tones dominating most of the room. There wasn't much to see apart from the couch, TV and a couple of paintings. I wondered if Levi was a minimalist and whether the rest of the apartment felt as empty. Then, I noticed two books decorating the corner of the coffee table. I sat on the edge of the couch and admired the hardcover; I had seen that picture before. It was supposed to be a famous portrait of an Afghan girl with blue eyes. On the edge of the cover, white letters formed the title: Steve McCurry: Portraits. Before I had the chance to open it, Levi returned with two glasses of water. "Thank you," I said and took a sip.

"You're not going to throw up in here, right?" he said while resting against a wall. I stared at him but he didn't seem affected in the slightest. "I'm just making sure. Shouldn't you be home in cases like this?"

"If you want me to leave just say so," I put the glass on the table grabbed my backpack. Before I had the chance to stand up, he walked towards me, sat on the couch and pulled me down by the hemline of my shirt. "Rud," I said, still holding the bag close to me like a shield.

"Have I upset you?" He asked. He seemed less irritated now, perhaps even a little guilty.

"You haven't exactly been nice," I replied. He sighed, confusing me even more. "I don't get it," I said, sighing in return.

"What?" He frowned.

"I mean-" I grunted, hoping that I wouldn't start crying. Not now, Eren. I closed my eyes and sighed. "We didn't even have sex," It made perfect sense in my head, but when I said it out loud and saw his reaction I realised how stupid I must have sounded. "It's just that you have been weirdly distant. Do I look that different in person? I would understand if you were only looking for a one night stand, but we didn't even do anything."

From the first day that we met, Levi had only shown two expressions: smirking and poker face. He didn't waste time on unnecessary smiling and laughing; he was either flirting or being indifferent. But in that moment of self-pity, he showed a hint of guilt. The glass was left on the coffee table and he turned to face me. "No, you don't look different."

"Then what's going on? Did I do something?"

"It has nothing to do with you, actually."

"Did the bet got canceled then?"

He smirked for the first time since that dinner. "It's still valid."

"So, are we ok?" now I also turned to face him. I experienced a slight deja vu as I remembered my earlier fantasy.

"Yes, but if you keep pitying yourself I might change my mind," I felt like I should be offended, but I snorted instead.

"Touché."

We ended up staying at his apartment for another hour and a half. Right after our awkward conversation, I was able to loosen up and talk without being so self-conscious; I even admitted that I wasn't sick. "In my defense, she did it without asking."

"That sounds like Hanji," he said and laughed. It wasn't the seductive smile that I had seen before; he seemed to genuinely enjoy spending time in a half-empty room without any food or drinks, just getting to know each other. And now I could even see him as a real person; he was not an unapproachable model from the Internet anymore, but a human being with unusually stylish hair.

"Is that how she always acts when you bring somebody over?" I asked, aware that I was being nosy.

"Yeah, although they usually run away. I'm surprised you're still here," he said without a trace of irony. My eyebrows furrowed and the atmosphere turned colder all of a sudden. "It's a joke, Eren," I sighed and punched his arm. "Didn't think you had it in you," he said and rubbed the spot.

"Do you mean punching?"

"Mhm," he smirked.

"Is it because of my clothes?" I raised one eyebrow. He hesitated and I punched him again, but this time he grabbed my fist.

"I just meant that you don't look violent; but if you want to get into details, then yeah, it's mostly because of your clothes."

"You really are rude," I pulled back my hand, but it was still trapped.

"Does it bother you?" he asked pulled me towards him slightly. My breath got stuck in my throat.

"Uh, yes, obviously," I said, looking everywhere but at him.

"Should I stop then?" as my eyes flickered around the room, unable to focus anywhere since there wasn't much to look at anyways, I noticed that although his skin was pale, there were a few freckles on his nose and under his eyes. They were a pastel cream color, giving his harsh features a softer air. I stood still for a second, not paying attention to what he was saying, but instead admiring this tiny detail. Then, I looked at his eyes, hair, and jaw, looking for more hidden characteristics. "Eren?"

"Uh-sorry, what?"

"You are staring."

"No, I'm not. I just didn't know you had..." before I could finish my sentence, I focus on his nose. Almost immediately, I realised that I was getting lost again. "Your nose reminds me of Lana's."

"Lana who?" he frowned.

"Lana Del Rey."

He snickered and said, "I'll take that as a compliment." I shrugged and looked at the coffee table. "You're bad at this."

"At what?"

"You were just complaining that I've been distant, but it looks like you're the one trying to run away."

"Oh, that." I chuckled. "It's just..." I summoned all my courage and said, "You're quite handsome. It's making me uncomfortable." He finally loosened his grip.

"That wasn't my plan," he said.

"No, no. It's ok. I just don't usually go out with people like you."

"What's your type, then?" his hand was now resting of the back of the couch.

I mentally punched myself for being so slow. He was right there, sending a clear message, but I was holding back out of pure stupidity. I had to do something before Levi started getting annoyed; all that prep talk during the past days would go to waste unless I made a move. "I didn't say you're not my type, did I?" with this phrase, I gave him the OK. His hand resumed its previous position, and I took a breath before jumping in the cold water. I closed my eyes so that I wouldn't see any possible confusion or disgust in his face and kissed him.

I was so focused on doing it right that I didn't really enjoy myself at first; it felt like an exam. Levi noticed that straight away and pulled back. He looked at me, and I looked at his freckles and thin nose. He pulled me by my hand once again, and this time we kissed properly. There wasn't any confusion or disgust, just us and a boner.


End file.
